Luke 23

-When Herod saw Jesus he was very glad because he had heard about Jesus and had wanted to meet him for a long time. He was hoping to see Jesus work a miracle. v8

This kind of makes me think of people wanting to see Houdini or something. Like he Jesus was almost viewed as some great illusionist or magician... a form of entertainment. Ugh.

-Father, forgive them. The don't know what they are doing. v34 Wow. He forgave such embittered attack... there really couldn't have been a situation where there was MORE to forgive... but how difficult do I find it to forgive the most petty of offenses.?

-If you really are the Christ.... v35 doesn't it feel like they are just arrogantly flaunting and justifying their actions by saying "Well... if he really *was* the Christ, we wouldn't be *able* to crucify him!" I can just see their twisted faces, hearts and minds.

"Hour of death, moment of sacrifice, it is your moment. Rehearsed a million times on false altars with false lambs; the moment of truth has come..." Max Lucado, Six Hours One Friday

Mark Driscoll preaches the most hair raising sermon I have ever heard on the crucifixion, our moment of redemption. He holds back no punches. He says that in becoming our scapegoat Jesus literally BECAME the vilest of offenders hanging there on the cross. He BECAME the murderer of every murder, the rapist, the thief, the adulterer, the liar. And in doing so, He was cut off from His father, who can "see no evil, hear no evil."

"Father..." the Son begins. The King replays the word again. "Father. Father." ... Oh how He longed for His children to call Him Father again. A noise snaps Him from His dream. He opens His eyes and sees a transcendant figure gleaming in the doorway. "It is finished, Father." .... "I have come home."

From Six Hours One Friday, Max Lucado